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European Tottywatch
Europeans get hot under collars as women make an impact in government
Election wins for two very different characters - Spain's José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and Italy's Silvio Berlusconi - are set to transform the image of European politics.
Zapatero has unveiled a centre-left cabinet which for the first time contains more women than men. Berlusconi, who caused a familiar storm by comparing left-wing women unfavorably to their conservative counterparts, has promised four women in his "slimmed down" cabinet of twelve ministers.
The change of scene for both fairly macho Latin nations comes a year after France's Nicolas Sarkozy shattered the mould of France's politics. His opponent Ségolène Royal may have been the first plausible female candidate for President, but on winning power Sarko promptly appointed more women - and more ethnic minorities - than any previous government, including those on the insufferably sanctimonious left had managed. No fewer than seven women are in Sarkozy's current "front line", with a number of other young women holding junior portfolios.
The "Sarko babes" have made an impact beyond the world of politics. Rachida Dati, Justice Minister and the first Arab to hold an important role in a European government, has become a regular feature on the front pages of France's "People" magazines, as often as not sporting the latest collection from French designers. On a recent visit to London, the UK press swooned over Rama Yade, Senegal-born Minister for Human Rights; meanwhile, EURSOC has been holding a torch for Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, junior minister for ecological issues, who has been tipped as a future Prime Minister.
NKM (the French love giving their politicians acronymic nicknames) hit the headlines last week when she was forced to apologise to two senior colleagues after accusing them of "cowardice and inelegance" when they failed to back an amendment she added to a bill on genetically-modified crops. Sarkozy is reported to have watched the affair closely - she may have damaged herself with party members, but the President is said to feel she has great potential and sees her current position as a trial.
NKM isn't the only Sarkozy minister to end up in hot water. Rama Yade protested strongly against Colonel Gaddafi's visit to Paris; Sarkozy was furious when she stormed "Our country is not a doormat for leaders, terrorists or not, to wipe their bloody feet on," just as Sarko was trying to flog the Libyan President French nuclear power.
Left-wing Fadela Amara, charged with transforming France's grim housing projects, is said to have called government plans to DNA test immigrants "disgusting." Seems like Sarkozy can't escape female trouble since becoming President.
Sarkozy made the risky and courageous move of inviting people from across the political spectrum to form a government. Spain's Zapatero stuck with women from his own leftish Socialist Party and its allies. No fewer than nine women, a record, have joined his cabine, including one of Europe's potential stars, 37 year old Carme Chacon.
Chacon was previously Housing Minister, just as Spain's market peaked, then crashed. Now she takes over at Defence, a first for a woman in Spain. She is seven months pregnant. "The fact that a woman has taken over the defence ministry shows that Spanish society has identified with the armed forces," she said, rather confusingly.
Zappo has promised to make equality a central feature of his second term as PM; no-one's calling his new appointments Zappo Babes yet, but we wonder if he'll still be so keen on equality of one of the glossy dames he has promoted seems set to take this notoriously uncharismatic PM's job.
